An ordinary day in Qingzhou city — except for two carriages that had just arrived.

The first was standard Division issue. The second was extraordinary — gilt and jade inlay, drawn by eight snow-white demon-horses each with a single horn on their brow.

Both pulled up at the Division compound and stopped.

Several figures stepped inside, and within moments a dozen or more sealed letters were dispatched at maximum speed to each of Qingzhou’s twelve prefectures.

The turbulent weather over the province went abruptly, completely still. A situation that had been unsettled all at once became stable.

From each major prefecture, carriages of the same imposing design rolled out and converged on Qingzhou city.

As they moved into the city and the figures descended and entered the compound — each different in age and expression, each wearing the same black-gleaming armor and the same vivid crimson cape.

In the compound’s largest hall—

A wide dark table extended all the way to the entrance.

As the figures settled, nearly twenty personal attendant Deputy Commanders quietly drew the great doors shut and stood guard with drawn blades.

The hall was somewhat dim. At the head of the table sat a middle-aged man in a plain jacket, an entirely unremarkable face, elbows on the table, fingers interlaced.

Three young people stood behind him.

Fang Heng and Bai Ziming stood with their hands clasped at their backs. Beside them was a young woman in white.

Along both sides of the long table, twelve Demon Suppression Generals presented their prepared files in sequence, then waited in silence while the middle-aged man went through them. Only one small girl beside him yawned.

Bai Ziming raised an eyebrow slightly, sending a coded whisper: “Condense a core yet?”

The middle-aged man flicked a hand. The beloved physician became like a pillar where he stood — only his eyes still able to move.

Fang Heng kept his head down, squeezing his fists to hold back laughter.

Lin Baixi glanced at the two of them with mild resignation, her attention seeming elsewhere.

Three months away, and she was finally back in Qingzhou.

She very much wanted to know — had anyone actually read the letter she’d left behind? Had Grandmother Aqian and the others looked after Shen Yi when he first arrived in the city, still new to everything?

After some time, the middle-aged man finally gave a nod and pushed the last file to the side.

“Good work, all of you.”

Most of the Demon Suppression Generals exhaled quietly.

Jiang Yuanhua. Qingzhou’s only Martial Immortal. Holder of the General’s position.

Only because of his presence had Qingzhou managed to stay stable this long under the Howling Moon Demon King’s attention.

“Public business done. Let’s talk about something personal.”

A faint smile appeared. He glanced back at the young woman, noticed her looking away with some embarrassment, then said in a mild voice: “I’m thinking of taking another disciple. What do you all think?”

The Demon Suppression Generals blinked in unison.

A General’s disciple — every single one had talent that exceeded their peers completely. Put simply: a General’s disciple was the General’s successor.

Something like this required careful consideration.

“Does Teacher already have someone in mind?” You Longtao glanced sideways.

Jiang Yuanhua didn’t answer. He looked back at the young woman.

Lin Baixi stepped forward slightly, a little tense. “Senior Martial Brother — it’s my recommendation. His name is Shen Yi. He was a constable in Baiyun County, joined the Division three months ago. He—”

She was the General’s disciple, but her seniority was shallow. Her voice in the Division was limited. To avoid being questioned, she tried to organize her thoughts — to quickly list several of Shen Yi’s qualities. But faced with this assembly of core-nurturing practitioners, she didn’t know where to start.

Lin Baixi hadn’t noticed that the martial siblings behind her didn’t have a trace of curiosity on their faces. Not even any sign they thought this was something worth discussing.

When that name was heard—

You Longtao blinked. Then he smiled.

“Oh. Then I have no issue.”

Jiang Yuanhua looked at him with faint surprise. He understood his eldest disciple well — every decision made with thorough deliberation on top of deliberation. Why was the man suddenly so casual?

Lin Baixi looked up in bewildered surprise, joy coming into her eyes.

If the eldest martial brother had agreed, this was essentially settled. She didn’t know why, but it didn’t matter.

“Wait. I object.”

A small arm extended lazily from a chair.

Aqian had one leg crossed over the other. Under everyone’s puzzled gaze, she smiled brightly.

“Shen Yi is a demon-hunter. Why should he become your disciple.”

Lin Baixi’s lips parted in surprise. She hadn’t expected that the young man had become a demon-hunter already in so short a time.

“Grandmother,” she hurried to explain, “I’m a demon-hunter too.”

Aqian shook her head with gentle reassurance. “Little one — it’s different.”

Someone with Shen Yi’s talent would be recognized even in the capital. There was no reason to confine him to Qingzhou and have him inherit a Martial Immortal’s position.

“…”

Jiang Yuanhua reinterlaced his fingers and found the situation had become interesting.

Lin Baixi started to say something more — and was quietly stopped by Fang Heng.

“Martial Elder Sister — wait a moment—”

This had only just begun.

“Hmm?” She looked back in confusion.

Then a different, older voice.

Chen Qiankun rose slowly.

“The question of the General taking a disciple — let’s set that aside for now. This old man has something to raise.”

“Go ahead.” Jiang Yuanhua gestured.

The old general’s strength wasn’t the highest among them, but his seniority was second only to the General himself.

Chen Qiankun gave a small nod. “This old man finds himself depleted. The strength to shelter Linjiang Prefecture is failing. I’d like to name a personal attendant to act temporarily as General, while I can still move about, to take care of Linjiang for a while longer as the young one grows into the role.”

An acting Demon Suppression General?

Jiang Yuanhua’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“Has Qingzhou gained another core-nurturing practitioner? Name the candidate directly.”

With something this significant, Lin Baixi didn’t dare raise the matter of her teacher taking a disciple anymore. She held herself back, though the urgency was real.

And then she heard that familiar name again.

Something spun in her head.

“Shen Yi.”

Chen Qiankun settled back into his seat, the aged eyes carrying more amusement than before.

The exceptional talent he’d personally chosen — it was time for him to begin showing what he was in Qingzhou.

At those words, Aqian’s brow drew tight. She stood up on the chair and waved her arms emphatically.

“Objection! Shen Yi said himself he has no intention of cultivating the divine spirit path. What’s the point of making him a Demon Suppression General.”

She didn’t even finish before another figure stood.

Cold eyes.

“I also object.”

Compared to Aqian’s protest, Jiang Yuanhua clearly weighted this one more carefully.

“Reason?”

The Yangyang Prefecture General produced a case file from his waist, spread it on the table.

“Because he comes from Baiyun County in Yangyang Prefecture. After learning that the Jingang School had been destroyed, I happened to pull his record.”

“From that, I’ve reached exactly one conclusion.”

Almost every set of eyes in the room turned toward him.

The Yangyang General gave a cold smile.

“I believe he is a second Zhang Hengzhou. Or to put it another way — a demon vastly exceeding the flood dragon lord’s level, taking human form.”

(End of Chapter)